Karnataka Farmers Bring Crocodile To Electricity Office In Kalaburagi To Protest Power Crisis

The farmers from Afzalpur Taluk in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi district staged a dramatic protest against frequent power outages that have severely disrupted their agricultural activities. On Thursday, they brought a live crocodile to the local Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company (GESCOM) office in Gobbur village, transporting the reptile on a bullock cart. The unusual demonstration was aimed at drawing attention to their plight and urging authorities to address the erratic power supply that has crippled irrigation and other farming operations.

The protest was sparked by the farmers’ growing frustration over the current power schedule, which provides electricity for agricultural use during the early hours of the morning, from 4 AM onwards. This timing has not only made farming operations inconvenient but has also increased the risk of dangerous encounters with wildlife, as farmers are forced to work in the dark.

Farmers in Afzalpur Taluk, located in the Kalaburagi district, staged a unique and dramatic protest against the frequent power outages that have been severely affecting their agricultural activities. In an unprecedented move, they brought a live crocodile to the local Gulbarga… pic.twitter.com/JrmWfKSWSy

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The idea to use a crocodile in the protest came about when farmer Lakshman Poojary discovered the reptile in his field while watering crops at night. Alarmed by the encounter, he and fellow farmers managed to capture the crocodile and decided to use it as a symbol of their struggle. They strapped the animal onto a bullock cart and traveled eight kilometers to the GESCOM office, demanding that the power supply schedule be shifted to daytime hours, starting at 6 AM instead of 4 AM, reported Times of India.

The sight of a live crocodile at the GESCOM office left officials stunned. The farmers argued that the current power schedule not only hampers their productivity but also endangers their lives, as they are forced to work in the dark when wild animals, such as crocodiles, are more active.

Police and forest department officials were quickly alerted to the situation. PSI Rahul Pawade from the Devala Ganagapur police station arrived at the scene and convinced the farmers to hand over the crocodile to the forest department, as per News Karnataka. The reptile, estimated to be around 10 years old, was later transported to the mini zoo in Kalaburagi and it was unharmed during the protest.